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() H N Win :i' h r o p 
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John Winthrop 

the Younger 



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IN a charming and historic "Kaire Harbour" of 
southern New Enghind on the western banlv of the 
river Thames, near its confluence with Long Ishmd 
Soinid, is the fair city of New London, renowned for 
its romantic, heroic, and commercial history. Near the 
highest eminence overlooking the river, the sound, and 
the ocean, in the old "Town Scjuare" on "Meeting House 
Hill," standing in bronze on a native boulder is the 
j)()rtrait statue of the founder and first Magistrate of 
this ancient town — John Winthrop the younger. 

The statue, costing 310,000, was a gift from the State 
of Connecticut, obtained through the efforts, covering 
a period of ten years, of the New London County 
Historical Society. It is the w(M-k of Bela L. Pratt, 
famous sculptor, a native of New London County, and 
was unveiled on New London's 259th birthday, May 6, 
1905, in the j)resence of the municipal authorities, the 
(Jovernor and other officials of the state, and a vast 
concourse of citizens and visitors. 

At the time Winthroj) obtained the grant from the 
(icneral Court of Massachusetts, May 6, 1646, to 



John Winthrop the Tounger 



•yi^ 



establish a town government in the Pequot country, he 
was, without doubt, the most picturesque figure in 
New England — 40 years of age, an eminent Puritan, 
pioneer, collegiate graduate with a library of l.CKX) 
volumes, lawyer by profession, renowned traveler. 



JOHN WINTHROP 

1606-1676 

FOUNDER OF NEW LONDON 

MAY 6, 1646 

GOVERNOR OF CONNECTICUT 

1657; 165Q-1676 

THE CHARTER OF CONNECTICUT 

WAS PROCURED BY HIM 

FROM KING CHARLES II 

APRIL 13. 1662 



10 COMMEMORATE 

HIS GREAT SERVICES 

TO THIS COMMONWEALTH 

THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT 

ERECTS THIS MONUMENT 

A. D. 1Q05 



INSrRIPTION ON TABLET AT BASK OK 
WINIHROP'S STATUE 



physician, scientist, diplomat, statesman, and. in the 
words of his father (the senior Winthrop is known in 
history as a great Puritan leader, the founder and 
(lovernor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony) "God 
gave him favor in the eyes of all men with whom he 
had to do. by land or sea." 



John W i n t h r o p ihc lounger 

Born in (iroton, England, in 1606, [graduating froni 
Trinity College, Dublin, studying law at the Inner 
remj)le. I^ondon, touring the continent for over a year, 
proceeding as lar east as Constantino[)le, at which 
place he was connected with the ICnglish Embassy, 
returning to London and selling his own inheritance 
from his mother, to help his father found the Massa- 
chusetts Bay Colony, proceeding to Boston a year 
after his father, later founding I|)swich, then receiving 
the appointment as (lovernor of the River Connecticut, 
under Lord Say and Seal, Lord Brook and others, 
buying Fishers Island in 1640, which remained in the 
possession of his fai7iily until 1862, already he had 
passed an eventfid life and his judgment in many 
capacities was eagerly sought. 

Attracted by the beautiful country from which the 
fierce Pecjuots had been driven only a few years before, 
he laid out. here, the boundaries of the plantation, 
built his home in a wooded and secluded glen at the 
head of Winthrop Cove, and adjacent to it erected the 
old town mill. \n 1655 he sent to Milford, where a 
mill had been established, for James Rogers the miller 
to come here and operate the town mill, giving him a 
portion of his own house lot on wliich to live. 

John Winthrop's son, (jovernor Fitz-John Winthrop, 
gave the town a bell in 1698, and it was voted to "Ring 
the bell every night at nine of the clock, winter and 
suminer." The ringing of the curfew i)ell has been 
continued imtil tb.e j)resent; a custom in force for 224 



John Winthrop the Toungcr 

years, with the exception of ringing at eight on Saturday 
nights. 

At the time of his first re-election as Governor of the 
Colony, having lived in New London for 13 years, he 
moved his residence to Hartford, where he lived until 
his death, in 1676, having held the position longer 
than any Governor in the history of the State, — 18 
years. While attending a session of the Commissioners 
of the United Colonies he was taken ill, died, and was 
buried in King's Chapel graveyard, Boston, in the 
tomb of his father. 

For many years the freemen of Pequot were desirous 
to name the town New London, and the river, Thames; 
but the General Court would not allow it, considering 
them too ambitious, and suggested from time to time 
other names. Finally, during the Ciovernorship of 
Winthrop, a petition drawn by him in his own hand- 
writing, was approved, and the names granted in 
1658. 

The greatest service performed by him to Connecticut 
was the procuring of its charter from King Charles 11 
April 23, 1662, uniting the Connecticut and New Haven 
Colonies, which made Connecticut free all except in 
name and continued in force until the constitution of 
1818. An interesting tradition has been handed down 
concerning Winthrop's reception at the Court of King 
Charles II. At the time Charles II was restored to the 
throne of his ancestors, the citizens of Connecticut 
sought to recognize him as their lawful sovereign, and 



John W i n t h r o p the Younger 

CS^ii — — ^ --- ■ —^. — (l)Ci 



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sent Winthrop with an address of congratulation, and 
as a^ent to secure a charter. 

The hite Robert Coit of New London, when sketch- 
ing the career of Winthrop before the Aj)propriations 
Committee of the (leneral Assembly, in March, 
1901, laid especial emphasis on Winthrop's success in 
procuring the charter for the state. He remarked that 
Winthrop was said to have possessed a ring given to an 
ancestor by Charles I, and this ring he presented to 
Charles II, thus securing favor at Court. "This," 
said Mr. Coit, "is the first appearance of the 'ring' in 
Connecticut politics." Senator Roberts, Chairman of 
the Committee (afterwards (lovernor) inquired, "Was 
it successful.^" Mr. Coit replied, "Very successful, as 
it alwavs'is." 



John W i n t h r. o p the You ng e r 

The letter of credit for 500 pounds voted by the 
Cieneral Assembly to pay Winthrop's expenses is 
interesting, showing the method of exchange and bank- 
ing oi that period. The fact is, the Treasurer of the 
Colony was unable to pay it until long afterwards, but 
to expedite matters, Winthrop discounted it himself, 
by mortgaging his Fishers Island farm. 

We are indebted to Mr. George S. (jodard, Connecti- 
cut State Librarian, for copies of the Governor John 
Winthrop's New London Commission, and the Governor 
John Winthrop's Letter of Credit, the originals of which 
are in the Connecticut State Library. 

We are further indebted to Mr. Godard for the fol- 
lowing, which is an excerpt from Librarian's Rej)ort 
of 1905-06 to the (xovernor. 

Jo/ui JVnit/irop\\- Ni'-ic Lofido/i Com mission 

This Commission, dated October 11 ^ 1647, appointing John Win- 
throp the first magistrate of Nameock — now New London — 
was presented to the state by Robert C. Winthrop, Jr., Jan- 
uary 19, 1888, and is one of the most interesting (.'.ocuments 
in our State Library. Not only was it written and signed by 
our second colonial governor, Edward Hopkins, who did so 
much for the educational mterests of our state, but it bears 
the earliest known impression of the seal of Connecticut. Lhis 
impression, which is in red wax, shows fifteen grape-vines 
instead of our customary three, to which number a change 
was made in 1711. 

joint Ji^i/it/irop\\- Letter of Credit 

This Lettkr of Credit for 1*500, a photograph of which is repro- 
duced in this report, taken by John Winthrop uhen he went 
to London as agent of the Colony of Connecticut to negotiate 
for a charter from Chailes II, was loaned to the Connecticut 



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John Winthrop the 2' o linger 

State Library in 1868 by Hon. Robert C. Winthrop of Boston, 
and later presented to the library, January 19, 1888, by 
Robert C. Winthrop, Jr. It was authorized by the General 
Court of Connecticut March 14, 1660 61, in the following 
manner: 

"// is urdrrcd that the Five Jiiiiulrcd pounds tJiiit dipt, jnhii 
CiiUiik is to pd\ \r Con/ifrr^, shall he kept and impruiied in pur- 
siieanee of our Addres to his high ties our Soi'ei-eig/ie Lord Charles ete. 

Mr. I'f'illis, Mr. Alhn, c5 IVillin I'J'ads-zcorth are appointed as a 
Co/nittee to meet zcitJi Capt. Culliek zvlien he eoines up, to reeeaiie 
in stieh Bills as he is to Assigne to \e Co!intre\s use.'''' Col. Rees., 
1,362. 

Treasurer Talcott was authorized to sign it June 7, 1661, as 
follows: 

"The Treasnrer is appointed to sigtie \e Lr of Credit zcherehx the 
Coiiernor //lay he ai/thorixed to eharge Bills on \e Colony to ye 
z'alne of jOOl aeeording to former aet of ye Coitrt. llie 'Treasurer 
is to give order to ye Co mi t tee for ye Delivery of pay zvheti Bills 
are ehai'ge<l.^'' - Col. Rees. I, jyo. 

The payment of this Letter of Credit was made as follows: 
Governor Winthrop, in London, May 3, 1662, drew on Treas- 
urer Talcott in favor of Edward Cowes, Giles Silvester and 
William Maskeline, or their assigns, at New London, for 
2,000 bushels of wheat at 3s. 6d. per bushel, and 1,200 bushels 
of peas at 2s. 6d. per bushel, all of which amounts to 500 
pounds sterling. The draft was assigned at London, May 21, 
1662, to Philip Best and Edward Paule, aboard the John and 
Robert of London, was accepted by Treasurer Talcott 
November 14, 1662, and a receipt in full acknowledged by 
Best and Paule December 1, 1662. (See Conn. His. Soc. 
Col. 1, 52-55. Mass. His. Soc. Proc, 1869-70, 344.) 

As one reads of the achievements of Winthrop. lie is 
filled with admiration of his Christian character, re- 
markable ability and sincerity of purpose. The superb 
nobleness of the man, his extraordinarx- lcarnin<2; and 



(?y^- 



JOHN W I N T H R O F ihe I'o U H g g r 



•H^ 



( ultLire, coupled with his high resolution and dauntless 
conquest of difficulties, made not only a strong impress 
upon the people of his day, hut also thnjughout suc- 
ceeding generations. 



J he Jllr/throp Trust Company 

will be opened tor business in temporary quarters 
in the Plant Buildings j/o State Street, New 
London, Connecticut, on March first, nineteen 
hundred twenty-two, being the two hundred 
seventv-sixth year after the founding of New 
London bv John Winthrop the Younger. 

Complete hanking service is ottered 
through the following departments : 

Commercial • Trust • Investment • Interesi 

Rial Ksiatk and Insurance • Foreicjn Exchanc;e 

Business Enc;iNEERiNc; 

Please call upon us and give us an opportunit\' to serve \'ou in 
matters financial, in the same broadminded manner as is credited 
to the Founder ot New London whose name we have taken 
tor our progressive bank. 

P. l,eRo\ Harw(jod, Pitsidtiit 

Krnest F,. Rogers, Vice-President 

Frank C. Cutler, Trenstirer 

Directors 

W.ir.i T. Ailing, W. Kllerv Allvn, Arthur P. Aiuierson, Roscm.nA (). 
Aiuicrson, Charles Borland, Sidney A. Brown, Donald Chappell, Waldo K. 
Clarke, Cornelius C^. Costello, Marion R. Davis, Percy C. Eggleston, Harry 
1'. (iriswold, James G. Hammond, Philip Z. Hankev, Frank J. Howell, 
l.iidwig Mann, James R. May, Robert |. Sisk, Frank B. Walker, Charles 
15. Waller, K. O. Winship, I'homas A. Woodrurf. 



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